Taco Salad for a Large Crowd
I made this huge salad to bring to a party and people were scrambling to figure out who made it. Needless to say I only brought home an empty bowl and the guests went home with a full stomach!
I made this huge salad to bring to a party and people were scrambling to figure out who made it. Needless to say I only brought home an empty bowl and the guests went home with a full stomach!
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 large sweet onion chopped
- 2 envelopes taco seasoning divided
- 1 medium head iceberg lettuce
- 1 package (12-1/2 ounces) nacho tortilla chips coarsely crushed
- 2 pints grape tomatoes halved
- 2 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 3 cans (2-1/4 ounces each) sliced ripe olives drained
- 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
- 1-1/2 cups thousand island salad dressing
- 1-1/3 cups salsa
- Carbohydrate 2.88873945963941 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.128261538364648 g
- Fiber 0.97437382729607 g
- Protein 0.599715384189068 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0158084615248969 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (62g)
- Sodium 753.570740515693 mg
- Sugar 1.91436563234334 g
- Trans Fat 0.0449084615103634 g
- Calories 13 calories
Step-by-step
- In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook beef with 1 envelope plus 2 tablespoons taco seasoning until no longer pink; drain.
- In a very large serving bowl, combine the lettuce, chips, tomatoes, beans, olives, cheese, onion, chilies and beef mixture.
- In a small bowl, combine the salad dressing, salsa, sugar and remaining taco seasoning; pour over salad and toss to coat.
Vibrant green ribbons of iceberg lettuce combine with crushed corn tortillas, halved grape tomatoes, and warm seasoned beef to create a dish featuring stark contrasts between crisp produce and savory protein. Quantities scaled for large gatherings require careful handling to prevent structural collapse during mixing.
Managing Texture and Temperature
Ground beef must be cooked completely over medium heat in a wide Dutch oven until no pink remains, typically taking eight to ten minutes. Draining excess rendered fat thoroughly after browning prevents the dressing from thinning out prematurely. Combining wet ingredients like tomatoes and beans with dry elements such as tortilla chips should happen immediately before serving to maintain crunch.
- Add the crushed nacho chips at the very last second to avoid sogginess from the salsa and dressing mixture.
- Rinse canned kidney beans under cold water and let them drain in a colander for five minutes to remove excess starch.
- Store dressed leftovers for no longer than four hours before the lettuce loses its structural integrity completely.
